"PPP MUST NOT MEAN PASSENGERS PAY THE PENALTY' - POPE

2.18.59pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 18th Jul 2007

Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman on the London Assembly, Geoff Pope, today called on the Mayor to guarantee that there will be no further rises in fares or Council Tax due to the collapse of Metronet.

Commenting, Geoff Pope, said:

"The PPP must not come to mean Passengers Pay the Penalty. Gordon Brown forced this deal on Londoners against their will and he must sort out the mess.

'Metronet's fat cats will go but we need a thorough sort out of all middle management involved in rebuilding the Tube. There has been too much incompetence and the last thing London needs is old wine in new bottles.

'Going forward, the Mayor should slim down London Underground and run the Tube on the model of the buses, DLR and London Overground with a tightly managed TfL group, letting concessions to efficient private companies."